FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Olivia Reed Thyne continued her stellar season Thursday in the opening game of the NSU Holiday Invitational, scoring a career-high 33 points in Colorado Mesa's 64-45 victory over Northwest Missouri State.
In the event hosted by Nova Southeastern that features four teams that have been in the national rankings at some point this season, the Mavericks' junior All-American forward put on a show, snaring 18 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double and seventh this season.
She made 14 field goals, second-most in a single game in program history, on 22 shots, all four of her free throws, added two assists, three steals and blocked one shot in just more than 37 minutes.
After scoring only four points in the first quarter, she adjusted to how the Bearcats were playing her, posted hard on the low block and used her variety of moves with her back to the basket to score 10 points in the second quarter, eight in the third and 11 in the fourth.
When the Bearcats got her away from the basket, she set up her teammates or hit mid-range jump shots.
Her 3-pointer with 2:38 to play put the Mavs up 20 and gave her 31 points, one off her career high. Macy Larsen came up with a steal and missed a 3-pointer with 1:14 to play, but Reed, as CMU coach Taylor Wagner was emptying the bench, grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled.
Her two free throws secured her career mark before she, too, headed for the bench. The 33 points ties her for eighth in a single game in program history, nine off Kristi Courter's single-game program record of 42, which has stood since 1980.
As impressive as her scoring was, Reed Thyne had eight offensive rebounds to give the Mavs more looks at the basket — they scored 13 second-chance points. She now has 28 career double-doubles and has scored in double figures every game this season and in 54 of 71 games in her career. She's had 10 or more rebounds in 36 games. The 18 boards tied for seventh-most in a single game in program history and are a season high.
It wasn't only Reed's performance, though. Defensively, CMU held the Bearcats without a point the final 7:58 of the second quarter and didn't let down after halftime with another 2:27 of shutout basketball.
That stretch allowed CMU to turn a 20-17 deficit into a 30-20 halftime lead and a 13-point bulge between points for Northwest Missouri State.
The closest Northwest Missouri State got in the second half was nine points, but every time the Bearcats tried to rally, the Mavericks responded. After the 'Cats cut the deficit to single digits early in the fourth quarter, Larsen and Reed Thyne combined for four straight baskets to push the lead 51-34 with 6:20 remaining.
Northwest Missouri State shot only 28.8% from the field and made only four of 25 attempts from the 3-point line (16%). Colorado Mesa shot 46.4% from the field, its second-best shooting day of the season.
Brooklyn Palmer, Riley Hayes and Larsen each scored eight points, Kylie Kravig added five points and four assists and Mykaela Moore added two points, three assists and blocked a shot, giving CMU solid minutes off the bench.
Friday's game against No. 8 Pittsburg State, which was upended by Nova Southeastern 73-62 on Thursday, tips off at 10 a.m. (MST) and will be streamed free of charge at sunshinestateconference.tv. It's the final game of 2024 for the Mavericks, who, after a break for the holidays, return to Brownson Arena on Jan. 9 to host New Mexico Highlands.
